The Walder chronicles: Book 13 of the Blitzkrieg Alternate Series by Max Lamirande

Author:Max Lamirande [Lamirande, Max]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Obsidian Press
Published: 2023-05-01T00:00:00+00:00

The Panzer IV

Another new weapon for Walder

When it was designed, the Panzer IV was considered a close-support tank for panzer regiments, with its short, stubby 75mm gun firing high explosive and smoke rounds as required. It was the brainchild of the German general and innovative armored warfare theorist Heinz Guderian. In concept, it was intended to be a support tank for use against enemy anti-tank guns and fortifications.

At around 18 tons, it was the heaviest frontline tank in German service in 1940. Apart from the suspension, it bore a strong family likeness to the Panzer III. To support the smaller panzer, which was armed with a 37-millimeter anti-tank gun, the new vehicle sported a short-barreled, howitzer-like 75-millimeter as its main gun.

The Panzer IV Auf. A (abbreviated to Ausf. A, meaning "Variant A") was powered by a Maybach HL108 TR, producing 250 horsepower, and used the SGR 75 transmission with five forward gears and one reverse, achieving a maximum road speed of 31 kilometers per hour. The panzer was quite fast for its time.

When Germany invaded Poland on the 1st of September 1939, its armored corps included 1445 Panzer Is, 1223 Panzer IIs, 98 Panzer IIIs, and 211 Panzer IVs; the more modern vehicles amounted to less than 10% of Germany's armored strength. The Reich factories were finally producing more in the middle of 1940, and it was showing in the Panzerwaffe, with more and more IVs equipping its fighting units at the frontlines. Along with its 75mm main gun, it also had two 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns like its smaller brother, the Panzer III.

Where it parted ways in terms of design with the III was in armor. The new tank had 80mm of frontal plating, 50mm on the turret, and 30mm on the sides. It promised to be much tougher than what Walder had previously fought with.

As the 2nd Panzer Division was stationed in Algiers for some time at the end of September and beginning of October, the Panzer IVs were distributed to the men at a one-to-three ratio, meaning that one tank team in three got the newest model. Walder was one of the lucky commanders to get one.

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